§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking in relation to Stratford grant-maintained school. [23586]
§ Mr. ForthStratford grant-maintained school was inspected in November 1993 and found to be failing to provide an acceptable standard of education. Since then, it has been subject to regular termly monitoring by Ofsted. The most recent report from Ofsted shows that standards of teaching and learning remain poor, that management is inadequate, and that the school has shown no signs of improvement since it was first found to be failing 18 months ago.
This persistent failure to provide an acceptable standard of education cannot be tolerated. My right hon. Friend is, therefore, exercising her power to remodel the governing body. The chairman of the governing body, Mr. Mark Prisk, has resigned and my right hon. Friend is arranging for the appointment of four new governors: Dr. Peter Osbourne, Mrs. Pat Collarbone, Mrs. Joan Greenfield and Mr. Paul Lewis.
As a matter of urgency, this remodelled governing body will need to devise a strategy to revitalise the school. I look to the school's head teacher and her staff to give their whole-hearted support to raising standards at the school.